The Ball
by Gining
Summary: A ball is held to comemerate the restoratration of worlds. But what happens when Yuffie doesn't want to go? Who will make her change her mind? squffie


**A/N Okay now this is loosly based on a dream I had, but it was so good that I had to share it. The only thing is, it was based on different charecters. (Final Fantasy X to be exact) I changed it because it fit Yuffie and Leon better. This is not exactly how it went, I added a few details, but you get the idea.**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the people or places. Square and disney beat me to that. However, I do own the story line. After all it was my dream. **

**This story is dedicated to Deplora who inspired me to write my own squffie story. Thanks Deplora.**

The two of them walked down the road together. A warrior and a younger woman. He was nine years her senior, but to her he seemed much more. He had the strength and wisdom of someone much older. She had looked up to him for so long. He was someone she could learn from, even if he didn't show any emotions.

They had just come from town where he helped her pick out a dress for the night. You see on that night a ball was being held. It was to commemorate the restoration of their home. Exactly two years ago Ansam had been defeated and all the worlds were restored. All because of a young key bearer named Sora.

They came to an intersection and her date for that night came to greet them. He handed the younger girl a rose and kissed her cheek. "Yuffie, I can't wait for tonight. I am sure you will look positively radiant."

She blushed as the warrior walked away. He needed to think. "Sq-Leon, where are you going?" The shinobi asked him.

"Don't worry about me, Yuf. I'll meet you at the castle later." He walked away holding his gunblade over his shoulder.

She watched him walk away and shook her head. The heartless had not been seem in almost a year and still he insisted on carrying the weapon. Nervously she took the arm her date held out and let him lead her back to the castle. She politely listened as he talked, but her mind was still on her leather clad friend.

They parted ways so they could go and get ready for the night. Yuffie ran up the stairs to the north wing in the castle where Aerith and Cloud's bedroom was.

"Aerith, Aerith!" She shouted.

The flower girl opened her door and poked her head out. "What is it, Yuffie? With the way you're running around you would think the heartless were back or something."

Yuffie stopped running and bent over with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "I need your help. I need you to help me get ready for tonight."

Aerith smiled at the eighteen year old. She had grown up since they had come back to Hollow Bastion. "Sure what do you need?" She came out of the room dressed in only a robe. Her hair out of its usual braid.

Yuffie held up the bag in her hand. "I have a dress, but I don't know what else to do. Think I could borrow a pair of shoes too?"

Aerith laughed lightly. "Sure, Yuffie. Come on in." She opened the door behind her and let the young girl in. "Any reason you are doing this? Last year you refused to go to this ball. Someone you trying to impress?" She teased her as she brushed her hair.

"Please. Last year I didn't have a date. I don't want, ow." She said as Aerith hit a slight knot. "Anyway, I still don't want to go, but Cloud is making me. He says it will help me learn to act more like a lady." She scoffed at the idea.

"He's just looking out for you. You're like his little sister. And contrary to how you may feel he treats you, he does care." The flower girl finished brushing and began to pull her hair back trying different styles to see if her friend liked any of them.

"Can't I just wear it down?" The shinobi whined.

"No, you have to dress up, and that includes doing your hair. Besides you came to me for help. So no complaining."

It was another hour before Aerith was done with her hair. She had pulled it back into a French twist and curled the ends of it making the younger girl appear much older. She then began to rummage in her closet looking for a pair of shoes that would go with the dress Yuffie and Leon had picked out.

"Aerith?" Yuffie began. "Are you and Cloud going to be there tonight?"

"Of coarse. Why wouldn't we be?" She answered with her head still in thecloset.

"Just wondering. Do you think Leon will be there too? A ball doesn't seem like his sort of thing."

Aerith had found the shoes she was looking for and stood up. "I'm sure he will be. In fact I believe he and Cloud are getting ready right now. Aren't you going with Zane though? He's your date tonight, right?"

Yuffie sighed. She barely knew the guy. The only reason she agreed to go with him was because Cloud said she needed someone and he agreed to go with her. "Yeah, he is." She turned her head to look at her friend and the shoes she pulled out for her. "Aerith, I can't wear those! I'll break my neck trying to walk."

She was holding up a pair of black strappy two inch heels. She smiled as she assured the young ninja that she would be fine. "Yuffie, you worry too much. These will look great." Her soft voice already making the ninja believe her. If anyone else were to tell her the same thing she probably would have shoved a throwing star (a/n I couldn't spell what it really was. sh something or other) so far up their behind they would walk funny for a month. But because this was Aerith, she agreed to wear them.

Yuffie grumbled, but took the shoes and walked back to her room so Aerith could get herself ready. After locking the door behind her, she pulled the dress out of the bag and admired it. It was black and long. Almost falling to her ankles. It had no sleeves, but a sheer shawl was supposed to be draped over the arms. The dress itself sparked when she moved it because of the rhinestones sewn through out.

A knock on her door brought her out of her trance. "Yuffie, are you done in there yet? It's almost time for the ball to start." Someone called to her.

"I'll be ready in a minute, Zane." She answered letting him know she heard him. "Men," she complained. She pulled the dress on over her head and sat down on the bed to try and put her shoes on. It was awkward at first, but once the left one was strapped, she had a much easier time getting the right.

"Yuffie, I'm going to go without you if you don't hurry up. I don't want to be late." He yelled at her.

"Fine then go! I don't care anyway." She shouted at him. The sound of cursing and stomping of feet let her know that he had heard her and took her advise. "What was Cloud thinking?" She asked out loud. Not that there was anyone there to answer her.

She sighed for the second time that night. She wanted to cry, but the great ninja Yuffie didn't cry. She was too old for that. Now she was dateless, and Cloud would not too happy with what she had done. He had pulled a few favors just to get someone for her, he had told her.

There was another knock on the door and she growled in frustration. Couldn't people just leave her alone?

"What do you want?" She yelled not caring who it was.

"Yuffie, it's me, Leon. Open the door."

She looked to the ceiling asking whatever gods there were, 'why me?' Reluctantly she stood and opened the door for him. He wore the same leather pants, but he wore a much more fancy leather jacket.

"I saw Zane by himself. I came to see why you were not with him. Cloud was worried about you too." He told her as he stepped into the room.

"So what. I decided I don't want to go. I'm just going to stay here tonight." She picked up a ninja star from her dresser and began twirling it around in her fingers.

He walked over to her and took if from her and laid it back on the dresser. "Yuffie, look at me. What is the real reason you don't want to go?"

"It doesn't matter. Besides, don't you have someone waiting for you down there?" She asked him sharply.

"Rinoa? She's dancing with someone else right now." He told her.

"Oh. I see." She brushed a tear from her eye before he got a chance to see it. She couldn't cry in front of the lion. It was bad enough that he still viewed her as a child. It would be worse if she gave him a reason to make him think it.

When they had first became partners she would cry all the time. Training was too long, her hands were full of cuts from so much practice, not enough sleep. The list went on. Through the years she had managed to hide her feelings behind her happy-go-lucky façade. Just as he hid his behind an unbreakable wall.

"Well, Yuf. I'm going to go back down. Come on down when you are ready. I'll be waiting." He turned and made for the door. His many belts clanging as he moved. She did not see the small smile on his face as he did so. He knew she would join them, and when she did, he would be there.

Yuffie paced the room not sure of what to do. Should she stay and be miserable or go down and maybe have a chance to enjoy herself. "Oh, leviathan help me. I am so gonna regret this." She said as she grabbed the shawl and wrapped it around herself.

She slowly walked through the halls and to the lifts that would take her to the ball. As she stood on the final lift she thought as to why she was really doing this. Sure Cloud and Aerith would be upset if she failed to show, but it was Squall who came to see her. The more she pondered this, the more she thought over the past eleven years.

Images flashed in her brain of things that he has said or done for her.

flash

A five year old Yuffie ran through a small garden. A fourteen year old Squall sat on the far side holding some flowers. He was waiting for his girlfriend. Yuffie came over and mentioned how pretty they were and how good they smelled. Without her even asking, he reached into the bouquet and pulled out the biggest one and gave it to her. He had a smile on his face as she ran away with her new prize.

flash

Two years later. Heartless were attacking Yuffie. This was before they knew what was going on. She was scared and alone. Her parents heart were taken from them as she watched. A shadow crept up to her sensing the fear and an easy target. Just when she thought she should have felt its claws on her someone stood in front of her, protecting her. It was Squall. He had taken the hit to protect her.

flash

A memory from just after they had found the key bearer. A heartless appeared in the room right in front of them. He had told her to run as he and Sora took care of the heartless that had began to overrun the second district. A fact that had saved her life since she had used all her stars just to get to that room.

She thought back to what he said to her just as he left. "Come down when you're ready. I'll be waiting." Why did he say that? If he was there with Rinoa, then why would he be waiting for her?

It was then when she realized why she was going down. "I'm in love with Squall Leonheart." She said. "If it had been Cloud or Aerith, I would still be up there pouting. But because he came up, I want to do it for him. I have to tell him."

With her resolve set she waited anxiously for the lift to stop. Before it could stop completely, she was already jumping off and running to the ball room. It was more crowded then she had expected it to be. It looked like all of Hollow Bastion showed up.

She spotted Cloud's blond spiky hair and pushed her way over to him. "Hey, Cloud!" She called to get his attention.

He turned to find who was calling him. Spotting her he smiled. "Yuffie. Glad to see you decided to show up. Zane said you weren't going to come."

"Yeah, well. Someone talked some sense into me. Speaking of which, have you seen Leon?"

"Leon? Last I saw he was standing out on the balcony. If you hurry he might still be there."

"Thanks. See ya." She called over her shoulder as she hitched her dress up a little to make it easier to move. She opened the French doors of the balcony, but frowned when there was no Leon.

"Looking for someone?" A voice came from her right.

She glanced over to see Leon holding a bouquet of roses. The very same kind he had given her many years ago. "No, I uh." Dammit, why couldn't her mouth work. She never had this problem before in front of him. "I just came to tell you something. But, I uh, can see you're waiting for Rinoa. So I'll just come back later. Okay, bye."

She gave a quick wave but he had moved faster then she thought possible and grabbed her wrist pulling her out with him. "Who says that I'm waiting for Rinoa?" He asked her.

She stumbled a moment in the shoes. Once she had regained her footing she answered. "Well I saw the flowers, and she's your date and all. So I thought they must be for her. Cause I know they couldn't possibly be for anyone else and I uh, um."

"Yuffie." He interrupted her. She stopped talking and lifted her violet eyes to meet the stormy blue of his own. "I planned on giving these to my date. Zane and I switched."

"Zane? But then that would mean that…" She trailed off as it hit her.

He smiled and he saw her figure it out. The light in her eyes grew brighter as he handed the flowers over. She dropped them to her side as she stood on her tip toes to plant a kiss on his lips. Her other hand snaking around the back of his neck to pull him closer. He held her close until they could hear a happy sigh coming from the doorway.

They parted and looked up to see Aerith leaning on Cloud's shoulder, his arm around her waist. "That is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. Don't you agree, Cloud?"

He said nothing, but nodded at the pair. Yuffie took her arm away from Leon's neck to push them in to the ballroom and shut the door behind them.

Turning back to her date she set the roses on the marble bench and leaned into his chest. "So where were we, Leon?"

"It's Squall."

**Finally done. This is supposed to be a one-shot, but I may continue it if I get enough people who want me to. Just don't be surprised if I don't. I'm out of ideas for it. Man who would have thought that eight pages would take so long to type? Three hours, I'm beat.**


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